


Clockwork Memory

by Sapphiremoonlight1



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Aiballshipping Week 2021, Alternate Universe - Clockpunk, Ambiguity, Firebreathing, Gen, Knife Throwing, Lightning being a diva, M/M, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29933103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sapphiremoonlight1/pseuds/Sapphiremoonlight1
Summary: Hell he doesn't even know how him and Ai support themselves. Everyone keeps calling him a tinker or an inventor but what does that even mean?Aoi's a countess, Flame's a smith and Spectre & Earth run the exotic goods shop but Yusaku? He can barely figure out why his closet is so weird. And what is this show everyone's talking about.
Relationships: Ai | Ignis/Fujiki Yuusaku
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Clockwork Memory

**Author's Note:**

> eh think I'll switch back to my original summary does a better job of including everyone lol.

“Yusaku! Where's my key! I can't find it!” Key? What key? Their house keys? No, that's not right. He screws his eye shut tight wanting to get a little more sleep but his curiosity keeps him from getting his wish. What key?

“At this rate I'm going to sputter out in the middle of a routine! The shame! The embarrassment! Not to mention Lightning will never let me hear the end of it if that happens!”

There's a loud thud sound that makes him think Ai might have accidentally thrown something into the window. Needing to make sure he doesn't damage anything, Yusaku tries to wake himself up. It's a slow process and in his grogginess everything on his desk seems weird. An inkwell, a quill under his hand, piles of and piles of sketches and notes scattered around under the light of a simple oil lamp.

“Argh! Are you listening?” No, no, he's not. He's still foggy on what Ai's even looking for and the flickering light of the lamp has him enthralled. It takes more willpower than it should have to glance away from the dancing flame.

“Yay I'm-” Yusaku starts before looking straight into something, someone beyond captivating utterly bewitching and yet he feels at home in those tempestuous pools of gold. Ai's eyes gave off a warmth a candle could never compare to. Even if they're staring at him with obvious expectation.

“I know I'm breathtakingly gorgeous but now isn't the time for this!” Ai huffs, being impatient as he is, Ai doesn't wait for Yusaku to respond before going back to ransacking their room in his search. Random pieces of fabric torn out of their closet and trunks haphazardly over everything else scattered around the small room. A large piece of black velvet drapes itself over one of Yusaku's projects for a second before Ai rethinking the decision snatches it back and throws it on himself.

While Ai's assertion about himself isn't wrong. There's something peculiar about him. Maybe it's how much his skin resembles that of the surface of flawless porcelain. Giving him the appearance of a fine doll without the odd wrinkle or rough spot. Or maybe it was the jilted way he moved. As if his usually fluid movements were on a delay that wasn't there before. Or the overall uncanny feeling radiating off him.

Watching Ai frantically rage around their room like a tornado through the outer layers of town gave him the time to wake up a bit. Though it's likely more his growing concern for their wellbeing that brought Yusaku out of his haze. A stray blouse flies a smidge too close to one of the many candelabra. His eyes follow it's trajectory onto the floor right next to something shining dimly from under the nearby bed.

Yusaku gets up to see what it might be. The instant his fingers brush the cold metal Ai is next to him buzzing.

“You found it! Ooo! I know you would help me!” Ai says, dragging the large almost butterfly shaped chunk of metal out into the light. What he thinks are wings turns out to be the bow of an intricately designed key. One with swirls of purple entwined with the bronze. Ai's key. Judging by its large size, it wasn't for a door...

Ai stares at him waiting for something. “Well come on I don't have all day!”

“What?” Yusaku replies unsure what he wants him to do.

The automaton rolls his eyes and turns around. Ai rips the cape off before reaching behind his back. Long delicate fingers part the back of his hair before working their way to his shirts. Under Ai's flowy blouse a substantial keyhole.

“I'd do it myself, but you haven't finished my arm extensions yet!” Ai says, turning his head to give him a half-hearted glare. “Come on! Just put it and twist!”

Still unsure but running on muscle memory Yusaku picks up the key. It's as weighted as it appears. Heavy and unfamiliar but he tries it anyway. There's a click once it's inside and by the time he manages to turn around once Ai jolts up straighter. A few more turns and he can finally hear the soft ticking of Ai's clockwork heart. Truthfully though Ai's heart is a bit of a mystery to him. It isn't the crown wheel, the regulator or the lever pivot making him gaze at Yusaku with unfathomable adoration.

Thinking about it warms Yusaku but it also makes him want to laugh. He has a literal key to his partner's heart in hands. A key said partner seems to have a habit of losing track of. A soft chuckle escapes his lips as he keeps turning the key until it stops letting him.

Gentle as to not ruin Ai's blouse or get it caught in his unruly hair Yusaku pulls out the key and sets on the floor in time to get a lap full of Ai. His smirk devious and loving in only a fashion Ai can do. He glides his hand fondly down Yusaku's cheek while giggling.

“What would _Ai_ do without my darling tinker?”

“cease to function because you lost your key and ran out of power,” Yusaku replies dully. Ai would run himself into the ground without him, and it makes him sick to think of how careless Ai can be with himself. But then he's one to talk when it comes to bad habits like that. Yusaku is just as bad, he woke up at his desk, again.

“Aw don't be so glum. That's not going to happen,” Ai says, giving him a light tap on the check.

Yusaku takes a deep breath and tries to relax while Ai uses his other hand to fish for his pocket watch in his vest. In the third or fourth hidden pocket he pulls out a gilded watch with a strange creature's head carved in the front. The Ignis family crest. Ai told about it once but he can't remember a single thing about it outside the family being very attached to that creature. Ai's family, Aqua, Earth, Windy, Lightning and Flame. And the Kogamis' if one wants to include their enigmatic benefactors.

While Yusaku wracks his memory for details about the band of cryptic automata and mad scientists Ai slams the watch shut. He shoves it in his vest and rushes to his feet.

“I'd love to stay here and be all lovey-dovey but I'm going to be late!” Ai shrieks, rushing for the door before spinning around like a dancer in a music box. He bends down and uses one hand to tilt Yusaku's head up. From there Ai guides their lips together for a passionate but trajectory fleeting kiss. As soon as he starts to melt into it Ai is gone, flying down the stairs of their compact boarding house.

“I'll see you later after the show!” Echoes up the wooden stairs and mellows the dejected feeling growing in Yusaku's chest. They can be together after the show...what show?! He slams his palm against his head a few times in frustration. Why are his memories being so selective today? The third time he does so their old wooden door creaks from the draft coming up the stairs. He better lock that and then start trying to clean up the mess Ai made. He scans over the room and sighs. Might as well start there.

Yusaku gets up, locks the door and methodically makes his way around the room. Wondering the whole time why his clothing seems so strange to him. He understands Ai's taste in waistcoats, cloaks, and material with more flow then the nearby river but him? Silk cravats, velvet doublets dripping with lace applique, and high waters. High waters! Who is he, Ryoken? Who?

He folds up the offending pieces of clothing and hides them deep in his trunk anyway. At least buried in there he won't have to see them anymore. With them sorted, that leaves Ai's key. Yusaku picks it up and lays it in his lap. Where does he put something so big and important? Since the room is clean now he gets a better look at his hole in the wall workshop.

Maybe he shouldn't be so quick to judge the Kogamis' as mad scientists. After all he isn't very far from being the same way from the looks of it. Ai had thrown his cape over a stripped automaton skeleton held up by a bust. He'd been fiddling with it in hopes of getting better at working on Ai himself. Neither appreciated it when Yusaku needed to fix something Ai broke.

Especially since he was one of a kind. But steadily he seems to be getting the hang of dealing with whatever accident happens. The problem being he can't actually remember any of that, though. He knows he's fixed Ai after he took a few bad tumbles but it's all a blur. He traces the patterns in the key lost in thought.

The old door creaking alerts him to someone being on the other side before the knocking does. Even if that person's knocking ends up obnoxious.

“Hurry up tinker! You do not keep royalty waiting!” Calls a woman's voice from outside followed by the sound of Takeru shouting back at her.

“Keep it down, would you miss Bessho some of us were still asleep!” Right Takeru and Flame live below them and he works guard duty at night. How does he get any sleep with Ai being in the same building? Also royalty? Who do they know that's part of the royal family?

“How rude! I wouldn't have if you would hurry up Fujiki! The countess is waiting and the shops will close if you don't hurry!” The woman replies giving the door a hard slam. Not wanting her to break the door down Yusaku grabs a comfortable cloak out of the closet and blows out the candles before opening the door.

“Yes?” He asks, taking a quick look at the woman before she grabs him, pulling him away from the door and down the stairwell. She appears to have all the finery being fitting a lady in wait. Though it's out of place in the grim of the boarding house. They pass Takeru and Flame standing outside their room and later covered in soot from his long hours smithing. Despite being part of the show Flame's something of a kindred spirit to him when it comes to wanting to create. Even if his medium involves a lot more heat then his does. Most days anyway.

If he's being honest, Flame is more like Takeru than him. Both stubborn mules that run on their passion and flare for life. It's about time he did something similar.

Yusaku pulls his arm out of her hold and glares at her. “If you do not mind I'd make sure no one can break into my workshop while we're gone. While we're at it, mind telling me where you are trying to take me?”

Takeru chuckles, “I was wondering when he'd do that.”

Ms. Bessho as he's assuming is the woman's name crossing her arms across her chest and scowls. “I suppose we don't want anyone snooping around in there. Who knows what, or who you have lurking in that mess.”

Yusaku has the slightest hint of dejavu hearing that. He's pretty sure she's the one who's been found searching around up under command of her lord. It doesn't take him long to get back up the stairs but it's long enough for three down stairs to keep chatting amongst themselves.

“What could Aoi want his help looking for anyway? Can't she get whatever she wants taken to the estate?” Flame asks.

“Well...She tried that, but she seems to draw the short end of the stick when it comes to finding Aqua something trendy that won't make either her or Miyu ill." At minimum the woman sounds concerned for and another blank. Yusaku has no idea who either Aoi or Miyu are.

“What about Aqua?” Flames suspicion carries up the stairwell. All of the Ignis are protective of one another. Wrong one and your problems usually multiply faster then one can blink. Guess it's a good thing Ai left early or they'd all have to face his chaos. Flames more level headed then him but he's still a looming presence. Or at least he tries to be Ms. Bessho stands under the accusing stare unfazed.

“She's fine,” The woman replies glancing up at Yusaku making his way down. “It's everyone else who keeps getting hurt. The countess wants nothing more than to find her a nice gift but everything we've tried has turned out harmful in some way. The vibrant colors she loves always seem to end up poisonous

She smiles up at him, “That's why here for Mr. reclusive tinker over there. She either wants you to point out if something might be laced with poison or spend some time picking his brain about automata. My lady would love to be able to fix Aqua herself if something were to go wrong.”

“You want to take him shopping for a gift for Aqua?” Takeru points at him and laughs. “I'm pretty sure Ai makes most of their clothing.”

“I concur,” Flame says nodding.

The woman shrugs and gives them a wink, “It's what my lady wants.”

Yusaku gets the sinking feeling that it's not only Aoi who wants to spend some time with him. The lord must be interested in him too. It only grows after the woman smiles at him knowingly before heading back down sitars.

“By the way _Mr. Homura_ aren't you going to be late for guard duty?” She calls on her way.

“Ee? Umm?” Takeru replies and then reaches in his pocket for his watch. Flame's watch actually it's hard to miss the crimson crest on the front. He presumably gave it to Takeru after he had lost another one of his.

“Ahh!” Takeru runs back into their room screaming while Flame shakes his head.

“Good luck with them. You're going to need it.” he tells Yusaku before lightly tapping the door so he peak inside. “And so am I.”

Yusaku gives him a sympathetic look and starts downstairs himself. All while Takeru shouts about being late in the background. Is everyone in this building running late to something? On the first floor passes the Kusanagis' door. They're the only ones in the building who ever seem to have any sense of punctuality. He stares at the door for a few seconds why that is, though. Then he shakes his head, he'll have to figure that out later. Right now he has royalty waiting for him...

There are three people waiting for him outside, not counting Ms. Bessho. She seems content to stand back by an orientate carriage. Though the woman appears to be keeping some space between her and her companions. She beams at him.

“Good evening, Yusaku how are you this lovely day?”

Layers of chiffon and charmeuse serving to emphasize her uncanny appearance. Her seemingly pale blue tinted hair gave her an unnatural glow. Much like Ai, she shines in her own way like that. Aqua, Flame and Ai's so called siblings but she might as well be the third Zaizen sister. Despite that she belongs next to the other women waiting.

“Why did you want to see me-” He's not sure how he should properly address her. “My lady?”

The brunette to her right starts cackling while the red head next to her sighs. Aqua hastily puts her hand over her face trying not to laugh. It doesn't work, she gets a hardy laugh out of his awkwardness too.

“If you're done flirting. We don't have a lot of time before everything closes for the night!” Ms. Bessho shouts putting a hand up to her forehead and shaking her head.“I swear I need to send all of you back to boarding school.”

She looks at him, “Including you Fujiki.”

Unsure of what to do he stands there waiting until she's done helping the other two women into the carriage. Yusaku glances at Aqua and gestures for her to go first.

“Oh. I'm not going. I came along to help Flame get ready for tonight,” She says, pulling a house key out of her bodice. “Have fun, though.”  
Yusaku nods and walks towards the carriage. He spends too much time working on clocks and automata because it's wheels remind him of cogs. Slowly spinning each other all the way back into an unseen springs that eventually lead to the motor underneath.

“Once an inventor always an inventor,” Ms. Bessho sighs, slapping the side of the carriage. “Come on, now isn't' the time to deconstruct how this works.”

Yusaku glares at her. He should be polite but he can't help being suspicious of her. There is something more there he's not seeing. But he climbs in anyway. Behind him, she slams the door shut hard enough to make the whole thing tremble. The little wink she does through the window before disappearing doesn't help her case.

“Oh don't worry I'm sure there's a hole in here somewhere she's listening through,” The redhead says shrugging. “She always seems to know when Aoi and I are up to something so just accept it now.”

Great means he'll have to be even more careful with what he says. In any case if the brunette is Aoi then she must be Miyu. Yusaku frowns trying to recall any scrape of details about them. Aoi and Miyu The latter being the legitimate heir while former was adopted in because. Guess that's not something important to remember at the moment since he can't think of why. Aoi though doesn't show her status much. The only reason he can tell she comes from wealth is the fabric of her gown. Everything else about her would fit perfectly into the average merchant class gala.

Ai loves to point ridiculous details like that out about people. He thinks it fun to point out the royals trying to fit in amongst regular people. Why does he remember so many little things about Ai, though?

“I'm sorry about this Yusaku. I didn't think she'd be so pushy,” Aoi says, pointing at the bench across from her. “Might as well sit down. It's not a long trip but it is a bumpy one.”

“Where are you taking me?” He asks, crossing his arms across his chest.

“You make it sound like we're kidnapping you,” Miyu laughs. It gets harder when they ride over some potholes causing him to bang his head into the ceiling.

“You never change.”

“Well if you make it all the way. This was your idea, remember? You said you were working on something for the Ignis. I'm just here to fund the project and see how it goes,” Aoi says rolling her eyes and sinking back into the velvet cushion behind her. “I suppose I should be happy they're interested in you and not any potential suitors.”

That takes him off guard,“ Ms. Bessho said you wanted help finding a gift for Aqua.”

“Those late nights are starting to catch up with you, aren't they? If I wanted that I'd find a way to either lure Spectre or Ryoken out of their respective caves. At least Spectre can test for arsenic in fabric-” Then Miyu chimes in.

“Honestly he'd be the one to lace it with poison himself!”

“True but at least with him I'd have a gown by the end of the evening. With Yusaku we'll be lucky to get into the shop without him getting into trouble,” Aoi replies. As if to prove her point they go over yet another set of potholes. Grimacing he decides to sit down. Bashing his head into the ceiling isn't going to help his memory issues.

“Alright then,” He says staring out the window. It's not quite dark enough for the city to start turning on the lamps. But it is smoggy enough to make it hard to make out much beyond the end of the cobblestone road.

Aoi slides down to the opposite side of the window. “Don't worry we're almost there and once we look around for a bit we're all going to the show too so you won't miss it.”

She points at a random sign, “Look there's Earth's shop. I'm sure he's already close up for the night but it would have been nice to browse some of the treasures he brought back.

The woman stares out the window dreamily before snapping into awareness,” Ooh! He's still open let's go!” An impatient knock on the wall behind her and Yusaku’s being pulled out of the carriage by the other two now fully energized.

“Mind not throwing me around like a ragdoll?” He says and Aoi looks away. “Sorry,” she replies.

She brightens up instantly, “Look he's gotten a new stock of goods!” Miyu and her share a look before running into the store leaving Yusaku standing there in the middle of an almost empty street. For an active city there aren't a lot of people scurrying around trying to get from place to place. He glances in the direction of the shop in time to catch the gaslights around the sign come to life.

Unearthed, Earth's Merchant shop. Of all the Ignis he's definitely the more um grounded of the family. Yusaku groans, he's going to stop there or he'll start making bad puns. Maybe Ai is starting to rub off on him.

“Stop standing there and come inside,” Miyu calls, waving for him to follow them inside. He's already here he might as well see what's inside. Yusaku takes a breath, steps inside and walks right into Spectre.

Right, he's a shopkeeper. From the piles of various pieces of furniture, rugs, material and wild plants growing too close to the overhead lamps. He isn't the best at his job.

“Good Evening Tinkerer, how may I help you?”

“Good evening, I'm not looking. Those two dragged me here,” Yusaku replies pointing at the woman digging through a pile of scrolls. Those tend to contain incorrect information, though, so he wonders why they might be interested in those. Ai's bought him plenty with inaccurate diagrams.

“Ah, well why don't you take a look around,” Spectre steps aside bowing his head slights and gesturing for him to go in further. If he didn't know better he'd think the other man was just being polite but he can spot the malicious glint in his eyes a mile away. He very well might be planning to feed them to one of his exotic plants.

Yusaku scowls but walks past him anyway. He's let them drag him this far might as well see what he can get out of it. Something catches his eye as he walks by a jewelry display by the register. Something that draws in the dim light and out shines the pieces around it. A brooch with all the colors of a blazing fire. Especially against the inky cashmere it's nestled in.

He bends over the case for a closer look. This didn't go unnoticed by anyone else in the store. Spectre being playing the part of a good shopkeeper saunters over and eyes him.  
“Find something interesting?” Aoi asks, getting out the small fort she and Miyu were starting to build around them.

“No,” Yusaku replies, recoiling from the display as if it burned him. There's no way he could afford something so lavish in his wildest dreams. Hell he doesn't even know how him and Ai support themselves. Everyone keeps calling him a tinkerer or an inventor but what does that even mean?

“You can have it,” says a gruff voice.

There's a shrill chorus of “What?!” From around the room.

“You are joking!” Spectre gasps in disbelief. He leans over the display distressed, “You can't possibly think it's a good idea to give something so precious away!”

Earth, a forthright and sturdy man, however, would never make a joke like that.

The man's lips twist up in a soft smile, “You've been nothing if not helpful to my family over years. I don't mind giving you something I know you will just end up gifting to that fanciful brother of mine. I'm sure he'll cherish it more than some random passerby will.”

“But,” Spectre stutters fuming.

“No it's fine. I'm sure someone will come by and pay a hefty price for something like that,” Yusaku says hoping to placate the murderous rage seething next to him.

“Why don't we work things out instead?” Aoi offers, inserting herself between him and Spectre.

The man waves off their concern, “Don't worry about it. That's been here for almost a year now and no one's shown any interest in it. Now Take it.”

While he possesses the same pallor of the rest of his family, his adventures often left scraps and scratches he didn't bother to repair. The rough appearance fit his dark brown hair. Maybe a few shades off Aoi's. All of it comes together in a way that can give him a looming appearance. One that is hard to argue with.

“I-” Yusaku tries but Earth ignores all of their protests. Slowly he takes the case off and gently folds the brooch into the fabric before shoving it at him.

“Take it and get out. I might be going out later but I still need to be there early for preparation. Spectre make sure to lock up before you leave.”

Miyu, wanting to be anywhere but next to Spectre, grabs both Yusaku and Aoi and drags them out the door. She’s pretty sure Aoi's shoes might have left trails from the sound of them scraping against the floor.

“Was that really necessary?”

Mrs. Bessho clearing her throat stops whatever argument was brewing between the two women. “We need to be going, or we'll be late.

She shakes her head,” Honestly you should have planned this outing better.”

“What but we were only in one store for a few minutes!” Miyu shouts, throwing her arms up.

“Yes and you would have gone into more if all of you could keep track of time better,” Ms. Bessho replies, checking her watch. “Now get in. I don't want to hear it from Ai if Fujiki is late. That man is not someone I want to deal with.”

Yusaku can't argue with that. Ai is petty and not the type to let slights go easily.

“But what about Windy's shop! He's supposed to stay open, so we could check out some models he brought back with him,” Aoi adds, scanning around the street searching for the other Ignis' shop. When her eyes finally land on a smaller shop down the road she frowns. Its lights are out.

Windy's somehow more merciual than Ai. It's very possible he could have decided to pack up and skip town again. He tends to change his mind faster than the seasons change. Or he could have simply closed shop early. It's hard to tell which but Aoi and Miyu aren't happy about it.

“I'm sorry Yusaku. Maybe we should have tried to be earlier,” Aoi sighs, stepping towards the carriage.

“It's fine,” he replies, following after her. Miyu lets out an exaggerated sigh of defeat before doing the same. It's not like he was looking forward to this anyway. He really should have put up more of a fight when Ms. Bessho came to get him. There are likely plenty of clues about his life all over that small room.

He stops in the doorway and looks at Aoi and Miyu for a second. If he stayed in his workshop, he wouldn't have gotten much of an outside perspective about himself. There's good and bad to the whole situation. That still leaves the show everyone's been talking about. And what project they're all interested in.

Absentmindedly he sits down and takes out the brooch Earth had all but forced on him and begins examining again. If the man is right he'll be seeing a lot more of it in the future too.

“Lucky,” Miyu says, leaning down for a better look. With everyone else crowded around the case earlier she didn't get much of a chance to see it.

“I don't think that's it, Didn't he say it was because you've been so helpful?” Aoi says, and they both glance at her. “Earth has been wanting to pay you back for fixing up Aqua for ages but you're so bad at accepting thanks.

“I suppose you have a point but still I'd love to get that from an admirer,” Miyu replies, grasping her hands together tightly and staring dreamily at the ceiling. The polished wood is hardly something to gawk at, though.

“If you want, you can have all my suitors. They're getting increasingly unoriginal in their plans as of late. I would rather be tossed into the forge then deal with another would be kidnapper,” Aoi pokes Miyu in the side and the other woman lets out a surprised shriek.

Then she leans back into the bench and relaxes. “I do think you're lucky, though. Must be nice to live your dreams with someone you love.”

Dreams? Yusaku blinks a few times and tilts his head confused.

Aoi laughs, “Right yours involved more hiding away in your workshop tinkering and less tall, dark, and ludicrously flamboyant.”

That causes Miyu to double over in laughter too. Grasping for breath between fits of giggles. It's contagious, he can't help laughing along with them. It's not like she's wrong. Thinking about Ai, he hides the brooch in her vest for later.

Caught up in the moment none of them notices the carriage come to a halt until the door besides them swings open.

“Come on get a move on you three,” Ms. Bessho says, stepping aside so they can exit. Yusaku gets up first and positions himself on the side of the door opposite the woman. He offers his hand for Aoi and Miyu as they climb down the steps of the carriage.

Once she's out Yusaku looks over at Aoi with a sincere smile. One most people would miss but he has an inkling that they've known each other for a long time.

“I'm sure you'll be able to live yours soon enough,” he says. Even if Yusaku is fuzzy on the details, he knows Aoi's never been one to let life happen to her.

“Uh hum, What did I say about the flirting?” Ms. Bessho asks, and they both glare at her. Unfazed she smiles and gives a little whistle.

“Emma!” Aoi shouts turning a dark enough shade of pink for it to show in gloomy light.

“Relax I'm joking. Now lets go inside. I'm sure Akira and Aqua are already waiting for us inside,” the woman replies with a half shrug. Over their heads second and third strings start to illuminate the vendor wagons and merchant tables doting the entrance of a massive pinstriped tent.

“We're right on time then!” Ms. Bessho says, clapping her hands together in excitement. She grabs Aoi hand and runs off into the crowd of people flocking around the various exhibits and merchants. He can see twirls of fire flying up and down from someone throwing around flaming buttons. Overhead a man on stilts walks through the crowd.

All of it in bright arrays of color that typically wouldn't blend but under the dark sky they have an attractive yet homely aesthetic

Yusaku freezes in place completely lost. Is this what everyone's been talking about? Why would he want to be here? With everything he's scrapped together this isn't his type of setting.

“Yusaku! Yusaku!” Some calls emerging from the crowd. Probably the least attention grabbing of the people he's come across today but fair enough to stand out. Flowing dark hair and the frank clothing of someone who spends most of their time covered in flour.

“Why are you standing there like that?” The man asks, putting his hands on his waist before getting impatient. “Come on! We've got something for you to try before the show starts.”

What is with people grabbing and pulling him around like some kind of toy?! Sure he's off today but he'd like to have a choice in this madness! They weave in and out of the crowds until the other man stops suddenly by a bronze vendor cart coated in what is likely sugar. Of course the sudden lack of momentum causes him to stumble over his own feet. Falling into the hard packed dirt didn't seem all that appealing so he managed to correct himself in time.

It's the small things as Ai would say.

The older version of the first stranger calls over the cart asking “Yusaku? You alright?”

I'd appreciate not pulled through a crowd like a wagon attached to a spooked horse,” He grumbles, crossing his arms. He squeezes his fingers into his arms thinking about who they are. The dark hair is a trait unique to the people who live on the first floor. Jin and Shoichi Kusanagi, the only people who seem to have any sense of time.

“Sorry Jin's been drinking coffee all day, he'll probably be wired like that all night too. Here, if it's any consultation try this,” Kusanagi says, holding out a bowl. That'll work. If the one laughing like a hyena is Jin then he's the older brother. The one who's just accepted he's never going to be called by his first name except by Jin.

“Hurry up or it'll melt!”

Yusaku shrugs and walks over to see what he's offering him. It's...um weird white and pinkish goop?

“It's ice cream. I know it looks a little strange but it's actually really sweet,” Kusanagi explains, handing him a spoon. “It's popular with some of the more uptight nobles anyway.”

He has to suppress the impulsive twitch. Yusaku can hear Ai's voice making puns about the dessert already. _(A)ice cream_. Instead a shiver runs down his spine and it's not from the cold treat.

“Right, I thought you'd be more interested in this anyway,” Kusanagi says, gesturing down at an unsophisticated machine on the cart. Though he's sure there's a few interlocking parts attached to the crank that help spin the drill. Okay maybe he would like to get his hands on one.

The man laughs, “When the fad dies down, I'll let you take it apart but right now it's a -”

“Prima donna!” Jin yells and they both look over to see who he's yelling at. He glares at a man sitting on a pile of crates with fumes coming off of him.

“That's the point!” The man shouts back. “I'm the prima donna of my company!”

Lightning, the automaton who lives with the Kusangis when not on tour with the opera. The bright whites and yellows to Ai's blacks and royal purples. Probably the most unsettling of the family with his platinum blonde hair and malicious smirk. It's hard to believe he's the one who people faun over when abroad.

“The seasons over! Get over yourself already!” Jin shouts, throwing his arms up.

Kusanagi slaps his forehead and groans, “Not again.”

“No! I should be the lead tonight, not _him_!” The blonde hisses, leaping to his feet in a fit rage. “I'm going to talk to Dr. Kogami again. I'll make sure he knows he's making a grave mistake!”

With a flourish of his tails coats Lightning stomps off towards the one of the smaller tents in the distance.

“Go make sure he doesn't piss off Ryoken too much, I don't want to hear it when he's dismantled again,” Kusanagi yells to Jin. His brother gives him a mock salute before taking off after the diva.

There goes one page he'd rather have left blank.

“Why don't you head inside? I need to clean up, and it'll take awhile,” The man wrings out a rag that'd be resting on the cart before letting out a deep sigh. “Not to mention I have to make sure those two didn't kill each other.”

Yusaku turns around and heads for the tent. He didn't want to get caught up in that mess too. Not yet, they live in the same building and he doubts he'd be able to sleep through them arguing.

If he gets any sleep tonight who knows how long he's supposed to stay under this tent? Yuasku leans up against a support beam on the other side of the auditorium. Away from the select few who seem to have made it inside already. Aoi, Miyu, Ms. Bessho, and a gentleman he's assuming is Akira found a spot front and center to the ring.

Who ever set up the interior did a wonderful job making something that should appear undignified and shabby appear significantly more classy. If not boarding on gaudy with some of the gold trimming around the edge of the ring.

It's not long before everyone else who'd been dawdling around outside starts to filter in. Amongst the large clusters of people Spectre and Takeru stick out. Takeru in his guard uniform sits in the row behind Aoi and Miyu. Spectre and a couple of old men find a place in the upper rows behind them. It's to tell, but the second gentleman might actually be younger but his gray hair and the harsh light make it hard to tell.

The lights begin to dim more and more though making it impossible to tell. With the lights the chatter from the crowd dies down too. The few seconds they're all in darkness stretches on for longer than Yusaku likes before a couple of fireballs blaze up around the center of the ring illuminating the figure standing front and center, Ai.

There is no mistaking that mop of gold infused ebony. Yusaku groans but manages to will away the encroaching secondhand embarrassment. He can try to stick this out. After all, Ai makes an exceptionally attractive ringmaster.

It's the minute details of the outfit that stand out the most against the blaze. The charm on the top of cane reflecting minor streaks of purple light around him. A charm shaped like the crest on his pocket watch. And the pair clock hands sticking out behind a row of sparkling blue and purple roses along the trim of his top hat. It makes Yusaku think he'd help design it. Like they had a playful debate over the statement piece until Ai recited something gooey and romantic that made him concede.

Ai's greeting to the crowd is anything but. He draws the hand holding the cane back and uses it prompt up his hat revealing that cocky smile of his. The crowd eats it up. Yusaku's falling for it too. The two large fires go out as an array of smaller ones light up the ring. While he's more interested in how they're managing the pyrotechnics, Ai is distracting.

“I do hope you all will enjoy this wonderful performance as much as we will! Now let me introduce two of my dear fellows: the lovely Aqua and Windy,” He says, lifting his cane over his head. Everyone's eyes follow it all the way to where the other two automata are standing. Aqua bows as the crowd's eyes land on her. In the short amount of time since Yusaku saw her earlier she'd put together a more elaborate and lively outfit of bright blues, pinks and whites.

The sibling he hadn't seen yet that day is not out shined in his bright greens and yellows. Scheele's green. Yusaku frowns, they can only wear clothing like that here because no one will be in direct contact with them. Especially that high up.

From opposing sides of the ring, the two run off their platforms. Clinging to the trapeze bars as they swirl and spin through the air in spirals of color. As if their metal frames aren't weighing them down. Like petals caught in the breeze they eventually have to come down. Aqua and Windy do one last twist around each other before swinging back towards their respective platforms. As they land the lights around them flicker out shrouding them in darkness so they can make their way back to earth.

Of course that means the ringmaster Ai gets to be the center of attention again. “Such elegance and grace, Oh and Windy did great too.”

The crowd laughs and zones back in on him and Flame. The other man also had a custom change but one with less flair then everyone else. Much less of most articles of clothing really. Except the batons in his hands.

“Let's hear it for my dear Flame! And let me get out of the way,” Ai jokes, jumping off the center mound and gesturing for the other man to take his place.

“Taking cover!” Ai runs off as the fires behind the mound spring to life again. Flame very obviously rolls his eyes and Takeru's cackling can be heard across the room. Yusaku folds his arms and leans more heavily on the beam. Let's see what he has up his sleeves. Or lack thereof.

Flame twirls the two batons through the fire, setting both ends on fire. Ah, another routine that would be leagues more dangerous if the performer were human. It's still dangerous for him to juggle two flaming sticks. His skin and various other parts of him are variable to a high enough temperature.

The other lights in the tent flick off again leaving only the glowing balls of fire whirling around the air like fireflies in the night. Around and around in hypnotizing radiance. Too soon the motion stops and Flame puts them out in the dirt. There's some whispering amongst the crowd that dies almost as fast as it picked up.

Flame reappears with a torch in hand standing by the very edge of the ring. He raises the torch up towards his mouth and blows. Instantaneously a massive fireball erupts across the ring like dragon fire. Illuminating everything within reach for the briefest of moments. The crowd roars in amazement as the rest of the lights come back on.

Flame gives them a small bow and blows out the torch. He steps away with a smirk to rival the ringmaster's. Whom hops back into the spotlight not to be upstaged by anyone. Yusaku rolls his eyes. Ai's love of attention is something he will never understand.

“Let's hear another cheer for our resident fire breather!” Ai cheers. As does the crowd. The cheers quickly die down in anticipation for the next act. Always the showman Ai stands there tapping his chin.

“Uhm, Who's next? Who's next?” He stops for a second while a faux look of surprise spreads across his face. “Moi! _Ai_ , your magnificent host for tonight shall go next.”

Ai moves his hand over his heart and does a bow before glancing off to the side. “And my delightful assistant Lightning.”

He broadly gestures towards the other man standing against a block of wood. He looks anything but delighted to be there. Lightning hasn't changed the slightest for the show. Motionless as a statue and glare sharper then the knives Ai pulls out of his vest.

The gears in Yusaku's brain sputter at **Ai with knives**. Throwing knives but still. He's seen that smirking devil chop vegetables. It's not pretty. He frowns, another detail about Ai.

“Try not to move too much. _Ai_ wouldn't want to hit anything vital,” Ai says lining up with the board. Yusaku groans, of course he'd say that. Lighting isn't taking it any better. The other man looks like he's going to murder Ai and then dance on his grave in celebration of his defeated foe.

Yusaku misses the first few throws imaging Lightning doing that. Thinks about the comically large grin that would be plastered on his face as he dances over a freshly turned mound of dirt. Something about the blond makes him think he would do something that passive aggressive. And on a regular basis.

“Would you hurry? This is undignified!" Lightning complains, trying to keep from moving.

“Aw don't worry I'll be done soon,” Ai replies and then winks at the crowd .“After a few more of course.”

Most of the people in the crowd seem to be getting some kind of vicarious catharsis from watching someone like Lightning get what's coming to them. There are a few who look bored but they're rare and mostly make up the people who know both Ai and Lighting.

“Looks like I'm down to my last two. Why don't we have a hear it for my assistants incredible patience? Ai says, loosely dangling the two knives left from his fingers. If scratches his skin, Yusaku Isn't helping him buff it out later.

Ai throws the first one without warning. It lands right next to Lightning's neck effectively silencing the ones in the crowd paying attention. He pretends to throw his last one, two, three times as everyone waits in anticipation for where it might land

On the forth fake out throw the knife disappears from Ai's hand but there is no crash from it falling from his hand or thud from it colliding with a nearby stand. In fact it carries the sound of splitting wood as it digs itself into the beam next to Yusaku.

“Oh? It seems I've misplaced my last one,” Ai says, playing it up for the crowd. A few frivolous twirls, a handful of flirty winks at the women in the front rows and he bounces back to the center of the ring. “I guess I'll just have to look for it later. On with the show!”

The not so sly smirk on his face when his eyes finally meet Yusaku isn't hard to miss. Even as it's replaced with something more befitting his clown status a millisecond later.

Oh, he'll be finding it later alright. Yusaku rips the knife out the beam and slinks back against the walls of the tent. He's seen enough. It's time for him to go home.

Where is home exactly? He takes a quick glance back at Ai and the other Ignis transitioning the stage for their next act then looks at Aoi before stepping outside entirely. It's not like he can ask her to bring him back home. Even if she didn't bring him here. No, he's going to have to figure out his way back on his own. Honestly the peace and quiet might grant him the time to fill in some of those holes.

All day he's been pulled around like a marionette. That knife might have cut more than the wood he'd been standing next to.

Yusaku ignores the calls from people trying to get his attention. Walking straight out of the square the circus set up in and back into the average, smog filled city. What a world they all live in. At least the chiming of the town clock gives him a sense of peace.

He strolls down vaguely familiar streets searching for small things that might indicate he's on the right path. There are a few odds and ends along the way that feel like he should recognize them but nothing comes of any of them. Eventually, he just follows the small river running through the city until the bridge comes up. His mind has supplied him so many useless details all day but it couldn't lead him home?

Yusaku leans over the side of the bridge, looking out at the murky water flowing beneath him. Despite the sludge in the water and the gloomy atmosphere, the moon is able to shine down on the water. In small sparkles of light but strong enough to reflect. How ironic.

“Yusaku! Yusaku! Where are you?!”Nope, not answering that. He rests his head on the stone sides of the bridge knowing Ai will catch up with him anyway. If he can keep focused for more then five minutes.

“Yusaku! Yusa-” Despite the lack of good lighting and Yusaku's dark cloak, Ai found him. There was no denying that. What he doesn't see is loose stone barely in place or the puddle close enough to it that at Ai's height he falls face first into it. Yusaku thinks about walking away but doesn't.

“Eck!I just had this outfit cleaned too,” Ai whines, staring at his not wet clothes as he gets up. The scowl on his lip softens to more of a frown when he looks up at Yusaku.

“Why'd you take off like that? You missed Earth being fired out of a canon. A canon! We worked forever to get that formula right!”

Yusaku responds by pulling out the knife and holding it between them. Ai can't think that was okay.

Ai stares at it confused, “What does that have to do with anything? I do that every show.”

“What?” Yusaku shouts. He throws a fucking knife at him on a regular basis?!

“Yeah, it's our little game. You always hid in some dark corner like a bat in the rafters of the old cathedral. It's my way of showing I found you up there,” Ai explains, taking a few steps closer to Yusaku. “I'd never throw one of those directly at you. In fact that one's rather dull.”

Ai tries reaching for it but Yusaku steps away in time just in time for his fingers to graze over it.

“Yusaku.”

No! Of all the things he should know about his life that should be one! Argh!

“What's wrong?” Ai asks and Yusaku hates the concerned tone of question. He loathes being a stranger in his own life more.

“Everything,” he sighs, watching the worried lines etch themselves deeper into Ai's skin. It's a wonder how those dark shadows even appear on his face.

“Huh?” The owlish surprise in Ai's eyes barely covers that concern or the distress lurking in them. He reaches out again but this time he grabs onto Yusaku's upper arm.

“Nothing let's go,” He says, sliding his hand over Ai before trying to lead them in a direction over the bridge. The automaton refuses to budge.

“Yusasku,” The strain in Ai's voice doesn't hold. It breaks, tired and pained and wanting nothing more than to not do whatever this is, again. “I thought we were pasted this, _we_ don't live in your workshop,”

“I,-” He starts not sure how to unpack any of that. They were in his workshop when he woke up this afternoon. Yusaku relents anyway gesturing for Ai to first. “Alright, lead the way.”

Ai anxiously fills the empty space around them with nonsensical chatter as guides them back around. They pass a few streets Yusaku overlooked. It'd be Romantic if they weren't the center of it. Strolling along cobblestone streets under the light of the full. Holding each other close while one of them rambles nonsense. Ironically picturesque.

“You should've seen Lightning's face when I told him he could finish up. I'm sure he's weaving a story about me having some awful accident behind the scenes. He's probably serenading the crowd right now with the tale of my untimely demise~ Oh! Here we are.”

Ai stops in front of an unassuming building. The structure is in better shape then the boarding house but not much of an upgrade from the outside. He hurries through opening the door and rushes them up a less squeaky stairwell. Eventually through a door into a dark room.  
Ai glances back at him for a split second before going for a lamp. Yusaku swears there's luminous light behind them for that second. A bright glow that fades into the lamplight.

In that light a more lavish interior then his small workshop. Sturdy, finely polished future surrounded by dainty pieces of drapery and doilies. The centerpiece? The bed Ai throws himself onto. He sinks into the mess of blue and purple silk.

Yusaku's attention goes to the mannequin and busts around the room with incomplete clothing projects. From those onto the sewing machine on the desk. It might be a mix of their tastes, but it is definitely more his space.

Ai pouts from atop the piles of decorative pillows but worry makes it way back into his features. “I know. It's a bit much but as long as it keeps Queeny from breathing down our necks right?”

“Queen!”

He frowns, “Yes, she's not very happy you're living in squalor as she so readily and repetitively phrases it.” Then he scuffs, pointing at one of the drapes. “You think I want that tacky thing in here?”

Yusaku walks over to the bed and flops back onto it, staring at the ceiling. His life had been so much simpler a few hours ago. Aoi was right he'd be happier being an average tinkerer. Without thinking about it he slips his hand into his vest for the brooch Earth had forced on him earlier. Had the man been disingenuous about his motivations for giving it to him?

Even in the low lamp light it shines, but it shines shades of red more akin to blood than fire. While he's watching the reflected light move Ai crawls over beside him.

“ _Ai _guess Earth is that old fashion. How many sheep am I worth then?” He jests and Yusaku gawks at him horrified. Ai keeps going, and the grin on his face spreads wider with each ridiculous addition. “What use would an automaton have for sheep anyway? I mean maybe as a pet it might be nice. But a clockwork sheep? That would be a dream come true! Wouldn't have to feed or clean up after it and all that yucky stuff.”__

____

____

Ai twists his face up in disgust and it makes Yusaku smile. It's the little interactions with Ai that have been the most familiar ones he's had all day.

“Hey! What's with that frown?” Ai says, poking him in the cheek. Guess he's more expressive then he thinks he is.

Yusaku's frown deepens. Seeing this Ai grabs his hands and holds them between the two of them. They are alone right now. Even it's in this gaudy room. He sighs and thinks about how to begin.

Before they can start, he's sure that glow Ai’s eyes is there again. It's only a second but a second of time is as valuable as a minute, an hour, even a lifetime. Ai detangles their hands, using his to move them closer together. He brings their lips together in an engrossing, heartfelt kiss. Yusaku, trusting in the feelings of love and devotion in his chest kisses him back. He melts into Ai, shutting his eyes. Allowing him takes the lead again.

He doesn't mind. His feelings for Ai have been the only ones he's been certain of all day, despite the bumps in the road. Yusaku shuts his eyes again but this time with his loopy automaton by his side. 

Maybe tomorrow he'll wake up and find out it was dream. Maybe he'll wake and nothing will be different and he'll have to confront the holes in his memory. Either way that can wait until he's had a good night's sleep in a real bed. He's content to lay here curled up listening to the ticking of Ai's heart .

**Author's Note:**

> Is it a dream? Is it something Ai's doing? Is it some form of early onset dementia or other memory issue? 
> 
> I think I've got all the prompts except movie night but I eh. I hope it makes sense, I might have went off a bit towards the middle. And the end, and just all of it  
> ttyl


End file.
